{"id":2158,"date":"2025-03-20T07:24:23","date_gmt":"2025-03-20T07:24:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/03\/20\/the-residence-murder-at-the-white-house-in-diverting-mystery-series\/"},"modified":"2025-03-20T07:24:28","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T07:24:28","slug":"the-residence-murder-at-the-white-house-in-diverting-mystery-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/03\/20\/the-residence-murder-at-the-white-house-in-diverting-mystery-series\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018The Residence\u2019: Murder at the White House In Diverting Mystery Series"},"content":{"rendered":"
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From left: Isiah Whitlock Jr., Dan Perrault, Spencer Garrett, Uzo Aduba, Randall Park, Andrew Friedman, Ken Marino, Molly Griggs in The Residence. Erin Simkin\/Courtesy of Netflix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A TV murder mystery has an eternal appeal, typically captivating viewers with a slow revelation of clues that allows the audience to be part of the discovery. It\u2019s a genre that can shift its tone easily, from serious drama to witty comedy, and television detectives have long been beloved characters. <\/span>The Residence<\/span><\/i>, created by Paul William Davies<\/a> and produced by Shondaland, hits many of these tropes, embracing a quirky lead detective and a slew of even quirkier suspects, all within the walls of the White House.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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On the evening of a state dinner held for the Australian delegation, White House chief usher\u00a0A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito<\/a>) is found murdered. It sets off a panic among the staff and we are quickly introduced to Cordelia Cupp, a police detective with a eye for detail and an obsession with bird watching. She\u2019s played winningly by Uzo Aduba<\/a>, who gives Cupp a wry approach to her investigation. The cast is an expansive as the list of characters, who encompass the White House employees, the guests and members of the D.C. police and the FBI. Even Kylie Minogue, who performs as part of the state dinner, is a suspect.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Giancarlo Esposito and Bronson Pinchot in The Residence<\/em> Jessica Brooks\/Courtesy of Netflix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Instead of approaching the whodunnit in a traditional way, Davies presents the information in a non-linear, sometimes chaotic episode structure. Each episode flashes between characters quickly, sometimes giving more than one version of a scene or a statement to highlight the fact that each character\u2019s perception of events is subjective. As Cupp investigates the murder in the past, several of the same characters address members of Congress in the present, detailing how the murder investigation was handled. It\u2019s a lot of information all at once and it can be tricky to keep track of the characters, as well as who was where and when. Still, the jumping around infuses the storytelling with whimsy and energy, and there are some funny moments, particularly from FBI special agent Edwin Park (Randall Park<\/a>).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over eight episodes, Davies doles out red herrings, new clues and some key backstory about Cupp, which informs the investigation. She\u2019s a keen observer and we eventually learn why, in one of the most engaging parts of the show. Despite the serious crime at the heart of the series, it\u2019s a light-hearted watch, embracing screwball comedy tones and speedy dialogue. Some of the characters feel more like caricatures than fully-defined people, but that is part of the fun\u2014Taran Killam\u2019s St. Pierre is a hilarious energy healer who gets involved in the event planning and Barrett Foa\u2019s Elliott Morgan is an enjoyably clueless first gentleman. And yes, the president, Perry Morgan (Paul Fitzgerald), is a gay man, although that\u2019s rarely discussed and it simply accepted as part of the narrative landscape. (If only.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n